Ah, the so-called cougar: former household names; straight-to tape working actresses; ingenue-stalking, resentful veterans who still have skills, and even some dreams of reclaiming old glory. Some are truly past it and would be better served by honorable retirement than the inevitable beatings at the hands of cruel up and comers and even crueler promoters. Some are still legitimate 10 round fighters, but lack the celebrity to attract managerial and media support, resulting in short notice fights, sporadic sparring and short money.

And yet, when matched fair, and given time to prepare, these women are still putting on sensational fights, generally at affordable prices, for appreciative audiences who enjoy a touch of nostalgia with their body blows. Cougars generally play to smaller rooms: off strip in Vegas; corporate and private functions; conventions; resorts; foreign lands. They turn up in the camps of younger, currently hotter celebs to provide both training and hard sparring, often dishing out beatings to their paymasters that have never been recorded and don't make headlines. What a cougar may have lost in hand speed or stamina, the good ones make up with technique and crafty tricks of the trade. Cougar boxing is an acquired taste, but a rewarding one - more intimate than the grand PPV spectacle of the FCBA major leagues, grittier, tougher. You know when a Britney Spears fights a tough dime - she's bouncing out of bed in a week with youthful resilience, and she probably pulled down 7 figures minimum as a headliner. When a Gina Gershon or Nicollette Sheridan gets taken deep - the bruises don't fade as quickly, the aches linger longer, and there's usually only enough prize money to get her to the next fight in style.

Here then is a brief survey of some recent results, showing that a good number of former fan favourites are still very active, if woefully under-exposed. Imagine for yourselves the smoky venues, sparse but enthusiastic crowds, dingy dressing rooms, shady promoters - the airports, the constant travel, the lonely hotel rooms and the twilight calm as money is often counted by hand in rented cars out back the arena while midnight rain starts to dot the windshield. That's cougar boxing.

ELIZABETH SHUE VS MARIA BELLO

Shue black lace push up and panties

Bello in baby blue lace push up and panties

Rematch of an action packed slugfest that saw Bello best Shue 8 or 9 months ago - compact, curvy blondes get shoulder to shoulder for more of the same heart-pounding activity. Similar approaches - both love to come forward, throw short, meaningful blows to the body, then mop up on exhausted chins. Bello a little smarter - stepping around Shue while laying in with her, turning Shue, making her move her feet - and the results speak for themselves. Maria belts out 7 of 10 rounds, drops Liz in the first, third, and eighth rounds off vicious hooks to the midsection to give Shue a sound, comprehensive beating. Sight of Liz on all fours, trying to shake off punishment as Bello prowls by with a smoldering look enough to insure there will be more Shue/Bello showdowns as cuddly blondes have a good thing going.

KARI WUHRER VS COURTNEY THORNE SMITH

Wuhrer in purple twist tie sport top, black boy cut trunks with purple stripe

Smith in grey sports bra, black boy cut trunks.

Smith recently losing her FCBA sponsorship and thrown back into the shark tank to make her own way, takes a wrong turn with rugged Kari. 2 minutes in, Wuhrer gets to Smith with those smashing, lean-limbed right hands and puts the blonde on her face for good - vicious KO1 for the rangy, power hitting brunette. Gina Gershon in attendance for the bout - very vocal in dismissing Smith as a shot fighter, leading to...

GINA GERSHON VS COURTNEY THORNE SMITH

Gershon in black lace push up, snake skin bikini bottoms

Smith in white bikini top, blue splash print, tie side bottoms

Smith pushed for this fight after hearing Gershon's comments on the Wuhrer demolition - Gina only too willing to comply. Gershon brutally efficient, taking Smith apart in 3 clinical rounds - third is a terrifying exhibition of pursuit power-punching along the ropes as Gershon steps-with and beats the living daylights out of a wilting, defenceless Smith. Too many vicious hooks amidships and banging one-twos to the face to count - Smith battered and messed up quits sobbing on her stool as Gershon struts it up smug.

TERI HATCHER VS COURTNEY COX

Teri in tawdry tight green t-shirt top with 3 buttons up top (undone of course), pale blue panties

Cox in equally tawdry red t-shirt, red cotton panties

Lean, hard, greyhound physiques. Cox pretty well preserved for a Cougar with roughly half the professional rounds under her belt that Teri has - this one was a thriller while it lasted. Hatcher got to Cox in the first with those patented streaming one-twos, nearly blasting Courtney out at the bell. Cox would return the favour in the second with hooks in the ribs setting up hook/cross combinations on the mouth putting Teri wobbly butt before putting her on her back for good 2 minutes in. Sensational galloping punches to the body from Cox - she's a sharp shooter from outside, but looks good leaning forward and letting her sinewy arms lash to a girl's ribcage as well.

HEATHER THOMAS VS NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN

Heather in tan western fringe bikini

Nicollette in white tank top twist tied up at the breasts, pale blue bikini bottoms, pigtails.

About as big as a cougar fight gets. Sheridan openly resentful of Thomas' opportunity against Beckinsale on PPV, and just as openly gloating at Heather's subsequent dismissal at the hands of Kate - mutual animosity and jealousy fueled this encounter.

Nicollette is known as one of the cruelest and most meanspirited blonde technicians of the last quarter century and she did nothing to change her reputation in this fight. She hooked Heather at the trunkline and below in the first. She cut Heather with a series of purposeful right hands, twisting them in on Thomas' tender brows. She dropped Thomas in the third and propped her up at the ropes for a frightful beating - Sheridan's face always set in that stern scowl of concentration as she gutted her helpless opponent. As often happens in boxing, Sheridan's supreme effort to stop Heather in the third left Nicollette arm weary, allowing Thomas to hook-and-bump her way back into the bout by hammering out the next two rounds. But when Sheridan got her second wind, she took great pleasure in first halting the Thomas rally, then rolling the gorgeous blonde up with a sustained two fisted assault that had Thomas out on her feet and staring to end the sixth. Heather would gallantly make it out for the seventh, but Nicollette would not be denied. She knuckled Heather's shoulders to baby-step Thomas to the ropes and administered one of those wince-making Sheridan beatdowns to what was left, systematically beating Thomas to her hands and knees. Even a delayed count as seething Nicollette initially refused to retire to a neutral corner couldn't save Heather: she gave it up on her knees in the first minute of the seventh round.